Are Men With High-Pitched Voices Less Likely To Cheat?

There are all sorts of things that make a woman attracted to a man. But when it comes to choosing a long-term partner, we ladies think the lower a man's voice, the more likely he's going to be unfaithful, say experts writing in the journal Evolutionary Psychology.

And the opposite is true for men, too, say the researchers, who explain men believe women with higher voices are the most likely to cheat.

The study involved asking volunteers to listen to recordings of a male and female voice, which were both digitally manipulated to adjust their pitch. Then the volunteers were asked which one was more likely to cheat.

"In terms of sexual strategy, we found that men and women will use voice pitch as a warning sign of future betrayal," says lead researcher Jillian O'Connor. "So the more attractive the voice - a higher pitch for women and lower pitch for men - the more likely the chances he or she will cheat."

The study's findings suggests we have learned how to protect ourselves by avoiding partners who could be unfaithful. But why does a low voice in men and a high voice in women indicate they're not the settling down type?